Roll stand for a tubing mill



May 4, 1965 R. w. HALL 3,181,333

ROLL STAND FOR A TUBING MILL Filed April 13, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. IO.

FIG. 8.

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INVENTOR. J RALPH W. HALL B WXJ AHornavB May 4, 1965 R. w. HALL ROLL STAND FOR A TUBING MILL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. RALPH W. HALL Attorneys May 4, 1965 R. w. HALL 3,181,333

ROLL STAND FOR A TUBING MILL vFiled April 13, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I NV EN TOR.

RALPH W.HALL Wa/zceKJ United States Patent f 3,181,333 RGLL STAND FOR A TUEWG MEL Ralph W. Hall, (Iincinnati, Ghio, assignor to Tenn-on, 1110-, lCincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Apr. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 137,263 6 Claims. (Ci. 72--24t This invention relates to a machine for forming a ribbon or strip of sheet metal into a tube or pipe having a welded seam.

In a machine for forming welded tubing, a strip of sheet metal is formed between pairs of rolls to a cylindrical shape, is then welded at the seam, and is finally passed between additional pairs of rolls which shape and size the welded tubing. Each pair of rolls is carried by a roll stand. The alignment of rolls in the roll stands requires great precision throughout the length of the machine to insure proper shaping of the tubing.

An object of this invention is to provide a roll stand constructed for ready adjusting movement of rolls carried thereby independently or in unison both up and down and sidewise.

A further object of this invention is to provide a roll stand in which roll shafts are mounted in a pair of spaced columns with the roll shafts being one above the other and in which columns are mounted for movement axially of the roll shafts with means being provided for moving the columns as a unit and in which further means is provided for moving at least one of the columns independently of the other.

A further object of this invention is to provide a roll stand in which means is provided for moving at least one of the shafts axially independently of the other shaft for proper alignment of rolls thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type in which bearings of the upper shaft can be moved up and down either in unison or independently for adjusting the vertical spacing between rolls and for adjusting the alignment of shafts for parallelism.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of this type in which a carriage is mounted for movement along a side of a base on which the roll stands are mounted adjacent the roll stands and in which a column pulling device is mounted on the carriage and arranged to withdraw one column of a selected roll stand onto the carriage to be withdrawn from the other column of the roll stand as the carriage is moved along the base so that roll shafts can be exposed to permit access to the rolls for changing or adjusting the rolls.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the following detailed description, and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic plan view showing a tubing forming machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in end elevation, partly broken away and in section, of one of the roll stands of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1, a portion of a base on which the roll stand is mounted being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken on the line 33 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in transverse section through a portion of the base of the machine illustrated in FIG. 1 showing details of construction of a column pulling carriage, a portion of one column of a roll stand being shown in association therewith;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the portion of the machine illustrated in FIG. 4, devices mounted on the column of the roll stand being omitted for clarity;

Patented May 4, 1965 ice FiG. 6 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 77 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view in vertical section of a telescopic connection between columns, the connection being shown in released position;

FIG. 9 is a view in section taken on the line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in upright section showing details of construction of the mounting for an adjustable bearing which is mounted in one of the columns of the roll stand illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 1111 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view in upright section taken on a portion of a line 3--3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 13 is a View in section taken on the line 1313 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 14 is a view in section taken on the line 14-14 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 15 is a view in section taken on the line 15-15 in FIG. 3.

In the following detailed description, and the drawings, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIG. 1 is shown schematically a tubing forming machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The machine includes a reel stand it} on which a reel 12. is mounted. The reel 12 carries a strip or ribbon of sheet metal 13 which passes from the reel 12 to a forming section 14 of the machine. The forming section 14 includes a base 16 on which roll stands 17 are mounted. The ribbon 13 passes between rolls carried by the roll stands which shape the strip into a tube. A pair of rOlls 18 and 19 is shown in FIG. 3. Only one pair of rolls has been shown in detail, and the rolls on the other roll stands may be of varying and progressive shapes of the type known for use in forming welded tubing and the like. From the forming section 14, the formed tubing passes to a welding section 21, FIG. 1 (not shown in detail), in which edges of the formed strip are welded together to form a welded tube in the usual manner. From the welding section 21, the welded tubing passes to a sizing section 22 having a base 23 on which roll stands 24 are mounted. The roll stands 24 carry rolls (not shown) which form or shape and size the tubing to a final size and shape. Each of the roll stands 24 can be of substantially the same construction as each of the roll stands 17, and only one roll stand 17 will be described in detail hereinafter. In addition to the roll stands shown, there can be additional roll stands (not shown) of types which are common in tubing forming machines.

In FlGS. 2 and 3 are shown details of construction of one roll stand 1'7. The roll stand 17 includes an inner column 27 (FIGS. 3 and 6) and an outer column 28 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The inner and outer columns 27 and 28 are mounted on pads 16a and 16b which are integral with and extend upwardly of the base 16 and are keyed thereto by keys 29 and 31, respectively, so that the columns can slide transversely of the base (to the left or the right as shown in FIG. 3). The inner column 27 is mounted on an upwardly extending flat-faced pad portion 27a of the base and the outer column 28 is mounted on an upwardly extending flat-faced pad portion 28a of the base. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the upper portion of the outer column 28 is formed as two upwardly extending spaced arms 32 and 33 with a space 34- therebetween which receives upper and lower bearing assemblies 35 and 36 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The arms 32 and 33 form ways in which the bearing assemblies 35 and 36 can slide up and down. Similarly, the rear column 27 includes two upwardly extending arms 37 (only one of which is shown, FIG. 3) forming ways between which upper and lower bearing assemblies 33 and 39 are mounted for moving up and down. Upper and lower roll shafts 41 and 42 extend between the columns and are supported by bearings in the bearing assemblies. The rolls 18 and 19, in turn, are mounted on the roll shafts 41 and 42, respectively, and keyed thereto by keys, not shown, received in key slots 43 and 44, respectively. The roll shafts are driven by appropriate drive mechanism in a drive housing 45 (FIG. 1) and shafts 45a linking the roll stands and the drive housing.

The bearing assembly 35 (FIG. 3) includes a hollow central bearing housing 46 and cap portions 47 and 43 attached to the housing 46 by screws 49, as shown in FIG. 2. The central bearing housing 46 is received between the arms 32 and 33 while outwardly extending portions of the cap portions 47 and 48 overlie faces of the arms 32 and 33, as shown in FIG. 2, to retain the bearing assemblies in place between the arms. Each of the other bearing assemblies similarly includes a hollow central bearing housing and a pair of cap portions. Details of construction of the bearing assembly 38 are shown in detail in FIG. 10. The bearing assembly 38 includes a hollow central bearing housing 51 and cap portions 52 and 53. An outer bearing race 54, inner bearing races 55 and 56, and roll bearings 57 and 58 are mounted inside the central bearing housing 51. Annular bearing holders 59 and 61 of angle shape in section engage opposite faces of the outer bearing race 54. Adjustment screws 62 and 63 threaded in the cap portions 52 and 53, respectively, can engage the bearing holders 59 and 61, respectively, so that, when one of the adjustment screws is loosened and the other is tightened, the bearings can be moved to the left or to the right as shown in FIG. it) inside the bearing housing 51. The inner races 55 and 56 surround a cylindrical section 64 of the upper roll shaft 41 and are held between a shoulder 66 on the upper roll shaft and lock nuts 67 and 68 threaded on the upper roll shaft.

Details of the other bearing assemblies are shown in FIG. 3. Inner races 69 and 71 of the bearing assembly 39 are held between a shoulder 72 on the lower roll shaft 42 and lock nuts 73 and 74 threaded thereto. Opposite faces of an outer race 76 are held between annular flanges 77 and 78 of the cap portions '79 and 81, respectively, so that the position of the lower roll shaft 42 is fixed with relation to the bearing assembly 39 and the lower roll shaft does not move axially with respect to the arms 37 of the inner column 27. The height of the lower hearing assembly 39 is determined by a shim 82 placed below a hollow central bearing housing 83 of the bearing assembly 39. The shim S2 rests on a lower face 34 of the space between the arms 37 of the column 27, and the central bearing housing 83 rests on the shim 32.

The upper roll 18 is mounted on the upper roll shaft 41 between main collars 86 and 87. The collar 37 engages a spacing collar 88 which, in turn, engages an annular shoulder 89 on the upper roll shaft 41. A second spacing collar 91 engages the main collar 86 and, in turn, is engaged by an annular bearing engaging member 92 of angle shape in cross-section. Inner races 93 and 94 of the upper bearing assembly 35 are gripped between the bearing engaging member 92 and an outer bearing engaging member 93. A nut 96 threaded on an upper roll shaft 41 engages the outer bearing engaging member 93. An outer bearing race 98 can slide to the left or right inside a central bearing housing 99 so that the left hand end of the upper roll shaft 41 can float to the left or right inside the bearing housing 35.

The lower bearing assembly 36 is supported by a shim 99' which rests on a bottom face 101 of the space between the arms 32 and 33 of the outer column 23. The upper bearing assembly 35 is generally similar in construction to the lower bearing assembly 36, and the left hand end of the upper roll shaft 41 can float to the left or right inside the upper bearing assembly 35. The upper bearing assembly 35 differs in that the central bearing housing 46 thereof is supported by an upright shaft 103. As shown in FIG. 2, angle shaped brackets 104 and 106 are attached to the central bearing housing 46 by screws 107. Flanges 10S and 109 of the brackets 104 and 106, respectively, overlie a flange 102 at the lower end of the shaft 103. As shown in FIG. 14, the flange 102 is square in shape and engages the brackets 104 and 106 to lock the bearing assembly 35, and the shaft 103 in assembled relation.

The shaft 103 extends upwardly into a hollow gear housing 108'. As shown in FIG. 2, the gear housing 108' is mounted on upper ends of the arms 32 and 33 of the outer column 28. A bottom cover 109 (FIG. 7) is attached to the underside of the gear housing 103' and supports a worm wheel 111 therein. The upper portion of the upright shaft 103 is threaded to the interior of an upright bore 112 in the worm wheel 111. The worm wheel is driven by a worm 113 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in mesh with the worm wheel 111. When the worm 113 and the worm wheel 111 are turned, the upright shaft 103 and the upper bearing assembly 35 are raised or lowered. The worm 113 is mounted on a shaft 114 rotatably mounted in the gear housing 108.

The upper bearing assembly 38 (FIG. 3) is supported by an upright shaft 115 which extends upwardly into a gear housing 116 which is similar to the gear housing already descibed and is mounted on the top of the arms 37 of the rear column 27 and carries a worm Wheel 11% in mesh with a Worm 119. The worm 119 is mounted on a shaft 121 rotatably mounted inside the gear housing 116. Turning of the shaft 121, the worm 119, and the worm wheel 113 raises or lowers the upright shaft 115 and the bearing assembly 38.

The shafts 114 and 121 are normally connected to turn together by a telescopic assembly 122. Details of construction of the telescopic assembly 122 are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The assembly 122 includes a sleeve 123 of square cross-section, as shown in FIG. 9. A square head 124 keyed to the shaft 114 by a key 125 normally is embraced by the sleeve 123. The sleeve 123 also embraces 21 square head 126 mounted on the shaft 121. A bolt 127 (FIG. 8) having an enlarged head 128 is mounted in the shaft 121 coaxially therewith. A collar 129 is mounted inside the sleeve 123 for sliding along a shank of the bolt 127. Screws 131 mounted in openings 132 in the collar 12 9 hold the collar 129 and the sleeve 123 in assembled relation. A compression spring 134 mounted on the shank of bolt 127 normally urges the sleeve to the position shown in FIG. 3 in which the shafts 114 and 121 are connected to turn together. However, if the sleeve 123 is moved to the right, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, against the spring pressure to the FIG. 8 position, the shafts 114 and 121 are disconnected. A square head 134' (FIG. 3) on the shaft 114 can accommodate a wrench or crank or the like (not shown) for turning the shaft 114 either in unison with the shaft 121 or independently.

The lower roll 19 is mounted on the lower roll shaft 42 between main collars 136 and 137. A spacing collar 138, also mounted on the lower roll shaft 42, is engaged by the main collar 137 and engages a shoulder 139 on the lower roll shaft 42. Another spacing collar 141, mounted on the lower roll shaft 42, engages the main collar 136 and is engaged by an annular bearing gripping member 142 of angle shape in section. Inner races 143 and 144 of the bearing assembly 36 are gripped between the bearing gripping member 142 and an outer bearing gripping member 146, also of angle shape in cross section. A nut 147 threaded to the lower roll shaft 42 engages the outer bearing gripping member 146.

When in operation, the columns of the roll stand are .3 held in place on the base 16 by screw fasteners 148 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and 149 (FIGS. 3 and 6). Details of construction of the mounting of one of the fasteners 148 are shown in FIG. 11. The shank of the fastener 148 extends through a slot 150 in a base plate 151 of the outer column 28. When the fasteners 148 and 149 are loosened, the columns can be shifted to the left or to the right across the base 16, as shown in FIG. 3. The columns of the roll stand can be moved to the left or to the right as shown in FIG. 3, by means of a roll stand adjusting assembly 153 shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. The stand adjusting assembly 153 includes a threaded adjustment pin 15 provided with an integral head 156. As shown in FIG. 6, the head is attached to the inner column 27 by screw fasteners 157.

The shank of the adjustment pin 154 extends through a bore 158 (FIG. 3) in a bracket 159 which is mounted in a lengthwise slot 161 in the base 16. Adjustment nuts 162 and 163 are threaded on the shank of the adjustment pin 15 i so that, when one of the adjustment nuts is loosened and the other is tightened, the inner column 27 is moved to the left or to the right as shown in FIG. 3.

The outer column 28 is linked to the inner column 27 by a cross shaft 164. One end of the cross shaft 164 is threaded in a transverse bore 166 in the inner column 27. A lock nut 166a locks the inner column 27 and the cross shaft 164- in assembled relation. The other end of the cross shaft 154 can be connected to the outer column 28 by a bolt assembly 167, shown in detail in FiG. 12. The outer end of the cross shaft 164 is provided with an axial well 168 in which an end of a bolt 169 is threaded. The bolt 16? extends through an axial bore in an adjustment sleeve 171 which is threaded in a transverse bore 172 in the outer column 28. A Washer 173 having an annular flange 17 received in a counter-bore 176 in the outer column 28 steadies the adjustment sleeve 171. Ordinarily, the distance between columns does not require adjustment. However, if such adjustment is desired, the adjustment sleeve 171 can be turned to adjust the spacing between columns. A shaft supporting block 177 (FIGS. 3 and 13) mounted on the base 16 underlies and supports the cross shaft 164 when the bolt 169 (FIG. 3) is removed.

The structure described above makes possible fine adjustment of the position of the rolls. If the roll stand as a whole, or the lower roll as an individual element, requires adjustment to the left or right, as shown in FIG. 3, one of the adjustment nuts 162 and 153 is loosened and the other adjustment nut is tightened to move the roll stand to the left or to the right as a unit. If the position of the upper roll 18 with respect to the lower roll 19 requires adjustment, one of the adjusting screws 62 and 63 is loosened and the other is tightened so that the upper roll shaft 41 is moved to the left or to the right with respect to the roll stand and roll 19 to adjust the position of the roll 18. If the upper roll 18 requires adjustment up or down with respect to the lower roll 19, the shaft 114 is turned to raise or lower the upper bearing assemblies 35 and 38, the upper roll shaft 41 and the upper roll 18. If one end of the upper roll shaft d1 needs to be raised or lowered with respect to the other end of the upper roll shaft, the telescopic sleeve 123 is moved to the FIG. 8 position to release connection between the shafts 114 and 121 so that the shaft 114 can be turned suliiciently to bring the upper roll shaft 41 to the proper slope.

When more substantial adjustment of the rolls is required, as when rolls require chan ing, the outer column 28 is withdrawn from the base 16 onto a carriage 131 in the manner that the column 28a is shown in FIG. 1.

Before withdrawal, the nuts 96 and 147 and the bolt 169 are removed and the fasteners 1 18 of the outer column are also removed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the carriage 181 runs on rails 182 and 183 mounted on the base 16. The carriage includes a flat horizontal plate portion 184 supported on an undercarriage 186 on which rollers 187 and 188 are journalled. The upper face of the plate portion 184 is coplanar with the upper face of the pad 28a of the base 16 on which the outer column 28 slides and is closely spaced therefrom so that the outer column 28 can slide from the base onto the plate portion 184 of the carriage 181. The rollers 187 are provided with flanges 189 and 191 which are received on opposite sides of the upper track 182. The roller 188 is mounted on a vertical axis and engages an upright face 192 of the lower track 133. A flange 193 of an angle bracket 194 mounted on the undercarriage engages the inner face of the track 1% so that the carriage is locked against swinging either clockwise or counter-clockwise as shown in FIG. 4.

A bracket 1% is mounted on and extends upwardly from the outer edge of the plate portion 184 of the carriage to support a bearing assembly 197 in which a screw shaft 198 is journalled. A crank 1% mounted on the screw shaft 193 turns the shaft. A cross arm 201 is threaded to the screw shaft 1% and carries pivot links 202 and 293 which are pivotally mounted at opposite ends thereof. Each pivot link includes a pin 2&4 which can be received inside a bore 265 in a flange arm 2% of the outer column 28 so that, when the crank 199 is turned, the outer column 28 can be drawn to the left or returned to the right as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the outer column 23 has been withdrawn onto the carriage 181, the carriage can be rolled to one side to free ends of the roll shafts for changing or adjusting rolls.

The roll stand construction shown in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination of a roll stand including a base, a pair of columns mounted on said base, said base having an upwardly directed column supporting face, at least one of said columns being mounted on and being slideable crosswise of said face, bearings mounted in said columns, and roll shafts journalled in said bearings with a track mounted on said base and extending along said base, a carriage mounted on said track for moving along said base, the carriage having a main plate portion having an upper face alignable with said face of the base, a bracket mounted on the carriage, a threaded shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket, a cross arm mounted on and threaded to said threaded shaft, means on the cross arm for engaging the slideable column, and means for turning the threaded shaft to draw the slideable column onto the plate portion of the carriage to remove the slideable column from the roll shafts.

2. The combination of a roll stand including a base, a pair of columns mounted on said base, said base having an upwardly directed column supporting face, at least one of said columns being mounted on and being slideable crosswise of said face, bearings mounted in said columns, and roll shafts journalled in said bearings with a pair of spaced tracks mounted on said base and extending along said base, a carriage, carriage supporting means on the carriage mounted on one of said tracks and supporting the carriage for moving along said base, means on the carriage engageable with opposite sides of the other of the tracks to prevent swinging of the carriage, the carriage having a main plate portion having an upper face alignable with said face of the base, a bracket mounted on the carriage, a threaded shaft rotatably mounted on said bracket, a cross arm mounted on and threaded to said threaded shaft, means on the cross arm for engaging the slideable column, and means for turning the threaded shaft to draw the slideable column onto the plate portion of the carriage to remove the slideable column from the roll shafts and to return the slideable column onto said face of the base.

3.In a roll stand, the combination of a pair of upstanding columns, a pair of bearing assemblies, each of said bearing assemblies comprising a bearing housing mounted in one of the columns, inner and outer bearing races mounted inside the housing, and bearings between the races, with a roll shaft journalled in said bearings, the bearing races of one of said assemblies being slideable inside the bearing housing thereof axially of the roll shaft, means on the roll shaft for holding the inner race of said bearing assembly against axial movement with respect to the roll shaft and a pair of screws threaded in the bearing housing of said assembly extending parallel to the axis of the roll shaft and engaging opposite faces of the outer race thereof for moving the shaft axially.

4. In a roll stand, the combination of a pair of upstanding columns, each of said columns having upright ways, a pair of bearing assemblies, each of said bearing assemblies comprising a housing mounted in the ways of one of the columns for up and down movement, inner and outer bearing races mounted inside the housing, and bearings between the races, a roll shaft jonrnalled in said bearing assemblies, the bearing races of one of said assemblies being slideable inside the bearing housing thereof axially of the roll shaft, means on the roll shaft for holding the inner race of said bearing assembly against axial movement with respect to the roll shaft, and a pair of screws threaded in the bearing housing of said assembly extending parallel to the axis of the roll shaft and engaging opposite faces of the outer race thereof for moving the shaft axially, there being an upright shaft attached to each bearing assembly and extending there from parallel to the ways, a worm wheel having an axial bore receiving and threaded to each upright shaft, a gear housing attached to each column and rotatably supporting the worm wheel associated therewith, a worm mounted in each gear housing and in mesh with the worm wheel associated therewith, means for releasably connecting the worms for turning in unison to raise and lower the bearing assemblies, and means for releasing the said connecting means, whereby one of the bearing assemblies is raiseable and lowerable independently of the other.

5. A roll stand which comprises a base, a pair of upstanding columns mounted on said base for sliding transversely thereof, means for moving one of the columns transversely of the base with respect to the other column, said means comprising an adjustment shaft attached to one of the columns, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said adjustment shaft, there being external threads on the sleeve engaging threads on the other column, and means on the adjustment shaft engaging the sleeve to prevent axial movement of the sleeve relative to the adjustment shaft, whereby turning of the sleeve causes relative movement of the columns, means for moving the columns in unison, a lower bearing assembly mounted on each column, a lower roll shaft spanning and journalled in the lower bearing assemblies and extending parallel to the adjustment shaft, each column having upright ways, an upper bearing assembly mounted in the ways of each column, an upper roll shaft spanning and journalled in the upper bearing assemblies and extending parallel to the other roll shaft, means for raising and lowering each of the upper bearing assemblies, releasable means linking the raising and lowering means, whereby the upper hearing assemblies are raiseable and lowerable both in unison and individually, means for moving the columns transversely of the base and axially of the roll shafts, means for attaching an inner race of the bearings of one of the bearing assemblies to the roll shaft journalled therein, said one of the bearing assemblies including a bearing housing surrounding the bearings, and axially adjusting means mounted in said bearing housing and engaging an outer race thereof for axially moving said bearing for adjusting spacing of rolls carried by the roll shafts.

6. A roll stand which comprises a base, a pair of pstanding columns mounted on said base for sliding transversely thereof, means for linking the columns for movement in unison, a lower bearing assembly mounted on each column, a lower roll shaft spanning and journalled in the lower bearing assemblies, each column having upright ways, an upper bearing assembly mounted in the ways of each column, an upper roll shaft spanning and journalled in the upper bearing assemblies, there being an upright shaft attached to each upper bearing assembly and extending upwardly therefrom, a worm wheel having an axial bore receiving and threaded to each upright shaft, a gear housing attached to each column and rotatably supporting the worm wheel associated therewith, a worm mounted in each gear housing and in mesh with the worm wheel associated therewith, means for rcleasably connecting the worms for turning in unison to raise and lower the upper bearing assemblies, and means for releasing said connecting means whereby the upper hearing assemblies are raiseable and lowerable both in unison and individually, means for moving the columns transversely of the base and axially of the roll shafts, bearings in the bearing assemblies rotatably supporting the roll shafts, means on one of the roll shafts for holding an inner race of the bearing of the one of the bearing assemblies journalied therein against axial movement with respect thereto, said one of the bearing assemblies including a bearing housing surrounding the bearing, and a pair of screws threaded in the bearing housing and extending parallel to the axes of the roll shafts and engaging opposite faces of an outer race thereof for axially moving said housing for adjusting spacing of rolls carried by the roll shafts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 125,691 4/72 Price 153-54 526,714 10/94 Kirby et al 153-28 1,833,658 11/31 Pullen 153-28 1,844,555 2/32 Billigmann 308-60 2,122,615 7/38 Johnson 153-28 2,176,115 10/39 Yoder 153-28 2,829,697 4/58 Rockhoff et al. 153-28 CHARLES W, LAN HAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A ROLL STAND INCLUDING A BASE, A PAIR OF COLUMNS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, SAID BASE HAVING AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED COLUMN SUPPORTING FACE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COLUMNS BEING MOUNTED ON AND BEING SLIDEABLE CROSSWISE OF SAID FACE, BEARINGS MOUNTED IN SAID COLUMNS, AND ROLL SHAFTS JOURNALLED IN SAID BEARINGS WITH A TRACK MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID BASE, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID TRACK FOR MOVING ALONG SAID BASE, THE CARRIAGE HAVING A MAIN PLATE PORTION HAVING AN UPPER FACE ALIGNABLE WITH SAID FACE OF THE BASE, A BRACKET MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE, A THREADED SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET, A CROSS ARM MOUNTED ON AND THREADED TO SAID THREADED SHAFT, MEANS ON THE CROSS ARM FOR ENGAGING THE SLIDEABLE COLUMN, AND MEANS FOR TURNING THE THREADED SHAFT TO DRAW THE SLIDEABLE COLUMN ONTO THE PLATE PORTION OF THE CARRIAGE TO REMOVE THE SLIDEABLE COLUMN FROM THE ROLL SHAFTS. 